Immigrant Rights Advocates Worry Milwaukee Caving To White House Pressure

Immigrant rights groups are accusing Milwaukee leaders of caving in to pressure from the Trump administration and quietly expanding cooperation with immigration officials.

One group, Voces de la Frontera, says Milwaukee officials are weakening safeguards for immigrants by making it easier for the Milwaukee Police Department to work with federal immigration agents. The group also warns the changes could lead to racial profiling.

Mayor Tom Barrett told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel his city remains committed to immigrants.

But Voces’ executive director, Christine Neumann-Ortiz, points to changes in police procedures that take effect Thursday. One eliminates a directive that officers were not to question people about their immigration status unless they met a narrow list of criteria.

The Milwaukee Police Department did not respond to the newspaper’s requests for comment.